Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Blu-ray Review


It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley, where for generations the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time. For a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying home, the stories become all too real in this spine-tingling film.


MY REVIEW
I can't believe we're already at the end of October and Halloween is today. What better way to end the month of October by sharing with you our thoughts on the movie, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Over the weekend we got to relax and watch a few family spooky movies and when our little one went to bed we took out Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and got to watch a great movie that, at times, scared the crap out of me. 

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is about a group of teens, Stella, Chuck and Auggie, who get together on Halloween night to prank a local bully. When they run off after pranking Tommy, they end up in at their local drive thru and hide in a car there where they meet a drifter named Ramon.

Not wanting the night to end, the group of teens make their way to the town's local haunted house where rumour has it that the family that use to live there had a daughter, Sarah, that they kept in the house, who would tell the local kids scary stories and these kids would later die. Once in the house the kids stumble upon Sarah' book of scary stories and Stella takes it home. Once the book is home, the stories in the book start to come true with, one by one, with each teen. Trying to save herself and her friends, Stella and Ramon start to research everything they can about Sarah and the rest of the family that use to live in that house.

This was such a great spooky movie to end the Halloween season with. It had myself and my teen jump a few times. Based on the classic book, Scary Stories, this movie brings to life, The Red Spot, The Big Toe and Harold. If you're looking for a great horror movie to end the spooky season, this is it.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is available now on digital and will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 5th. Be sure to also check out this amazing makeup tutorial on some classic looks from the movie.



Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Good Boys Blu-ray Giveaway



Happy Tuesday, friends! Today we're bringing you another great giveaway, this time in honor of the digital release of the movie Good Boys.

After being invited to his first kissing party, 12-year-old Max (Jacob Tremblay;Room) is panicking because he doesn’t know how to kiss. Eager for some pointers, Max and his best friends Thor (Brady Noon, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) and Lucas (Keith L. Williams, Fox’s The Last Man On Earth) decide to use Max’s dad’s drone–which Max is forbidden to touch–to spy on a teenage couple making out next door. But when things go ridiculously wrong, the drone is destroyed. Desperate to replace it before Max’s dad (Will Forte,The Last Man on Earth) gets home, the boys skip school and set off on an odyssey of epically bad decisions involving some accidentally stolen drugs, frat-house paintball, and running from both the cops and two terrifying teenage girls (Molly Gordon; Life of the Party and Midori Francis;Ocean’s Eight).

I'm not sure if you've seen the movie or trailer for this one, but get ready to laugh your butts off as a group of 12 year old boys are on a mission to get a replacement drone before Max's dad gets home. I'm excited to share our review with you guys on this movie, because it was definitely an entertaining movie to watch.


The giveaway is open to both our US and Canada readers and be sure to head over to our Instagram page as we're giving away a copy over there as well. Good Boys will be available on blu-ray and DVD November 12th!

To enter the giveaway leave a comment below sharing a fun memory of what you and your friends loved to do as teens.




Greedfall Xbox One Review




Explore uncharted new lands as you set foot on a remote island seeping with magic, and filled with riches, lost secrets, and fantastic creatures.

Forge this new world’s destiny, as you befriend or betray companions and entire factions. With diplomacy, deception and force, become part of a living, evolving world - influence its course and shape your story.

MY REVIEW

I love playing video games and so does my husband. This was a game that had us both intrigued and I was so happy that we both had a chance to play it. Greedfall allows you to carve your own path, creating your character with a unique set of starting skills.  Whether you choose to specialize or be a jack of all trades, GreedFall’s deep crafting system lets you customize the look and stats of your gear to suit your playstyle.

Your decisions will shape the future of the new world and old, and GreedFall gives you the freedom to make them. Use your talents to influence the powerful elite, don the armor of an enemy faction to infiltrate their ranks, and decide the fates of many across a variety of far-reaching quests.



It starts off in an older world that is diseased. It is called Malecore and has killed many people. They seem to be on a hunt to find a cure. At of beginning of the game you get to choose if your character is a warrior (gets to use weapons, and wear armor), magic (you get to use different rings and each has different powers and spells you can eventually unlock), and technical (controlling the battlefield). 

As you advance you unlock a bunch of different abilities and locations. I love the way the character fights in this game, and that you can que up attacks which helps a lot, but I have to say the best part of this game is the story line. It feels so real and it is so intriguing to see what is going to happen next. Kind of a downfall is the fact that when you meet a new person, you can't change their fighting style only their gear, but I also am happy with that because its more realistic. 




I also enjoy how you can build up skills because this is a small thing I really looked forward to as well as unlocking costumes to my character. Overall, its a very cool game! Definitely a good story line and so much fun to play. I will be spending a good amount of time on this game.

Greedfall is available now for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Greedfall on Xbox One at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

The Eyes of Ara Nintendo Switch Review




Alone on a remote island stands an ancient weathered castle, steeped in legend, shrouded in mystery. For years it has remained quiet and undisturbed, and yet still the townspeople recall old stories of restless dreams, violent storms, and the eerie glow of ghostly lights dancing in the mist.

Recently a mysterious radio signal has begun broadcasting from somewhere within the ancient walls. Something inside the castle has awoken, and someone needs to venture inside to uncover the truth....


MY REVIEW
I have always been a big fan of puzzle games.  So when I had the opportunity to try out The Eyes of Ara on Nintendo Switch, I was pretty excited. This game is so enjoyable. It is very intricate and really gets the players involved. I loved the music and vibe it sets- a little scary at times and I love it. It definitely made playing at night kind of creepy at times, but it was awesome. 



It starts off with me spending a night in a haunted mansion and you need to find clues to get through door to door. You can also collect coins along the way. This definitely reminded me of the escape room games I love to play on my phone. It definitely gets your mind working to figure out how to get the next door open as I found each level got a little more harder than the one before, which keeps you interested in playing because you want to find all the clues to head to the next room. 



While playing you are able to  rotate a full 360 degree circle to look around the room that you're trying to find clues in, as well as look up and down. This is more of a point and click game that allows you to click on objects and some objects will let you interact with them and at times will switch you to an up close view. Once you're able to get the door or a secret passage way opened, clicking it will move you right to the next room. The only thing I'd wish this game had was a map, just so you know where you were going. Although it was pretty clear where to go next, but just in case it's not clear for others, I hope a map is added in the future so you know where you're at in the castle. 



The story line is very well thought out and along with the amazing realistic graphic details put into the game, I was very impressed, it clearly took a lot of work to make. If you're looking for a good puzzle/escape room game, this is definitely for you. The Eyes of Ara is now available on Nintendo Switch and also Steam and in both the Apple and Google store.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received The Eyes of Ara on Nintendo Switch at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw Blu-ray Giveaway



Hey friends! Today we're teaming up with Universal Pictures offering one of our readers, both US and Canada, a chance at winning a copy of the upcoming release, Hobbs & Shaw on blu-ray! If you're a fan of the Fast and Furious franchise, you'll definitely want to enter our giveaway to win a copy of this spin off.



The high-stakes action and sharp-edged humor like never before, taking fans down an exhilarating new road. Unforgettable franchise favorites Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson;“Skyscraper,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”)and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham;“The Meg,” “Spy”)Forge an unlikely partnership that provides fresh insight into their backstories.

For years, hulking lawman Luke Hobbs and lawless outcast Deckard Shaw have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton Lorr(Idris Elba; “Thor : Ragnarok,” “The Dark Tower”) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, Hobbs and Shaw must partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

Hobbs & Shaw features over 80 minutes* of never-before-seen bonus content including an alternate opening, deleted and extended scenes

And several featurettes with the filmmakers and cast that take fans further into the thrilling story. A hit with audiences,Hobbs & Shaw earned an“ A-”CinemaScore and is “The most exciting movie of the year”(Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV), with non-stop action across the globe, from Los Angeles to London and from the toxic wasteland of Cherno byl to the lush beauty of Samoa.

To enter the giveaway, please comment below sharing with us a movie you enjoyed watching that had either Dwayne Johnson or Jason Statham in it! 

The Lion King Blu-ray Review



Disney’s “The Lion King,” directed by Jon Favreau, journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is faught with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

MY REVIEW
I remember watching the original movie and absolutely falling in love with the story-line. I can say the same for the remake of The Lion King, I cried with this remake almost as I did for the original. This was such a great movie that my family and I enjoyed from beginning to the end.

I'm always sceptical on remakes, it seems they're popping up everywhere, but I have to say I absolutely loved this one. Way to go Disney and everyone involved. I especially loved that James Earl Jones was still the voice of the beloved, Mufasa. The remake does a great job capturing the original animation, but also brings in some new scenes to the movie that, in my opinion, worked well for this generation.

Not only were there new scenes added to the remake, but also new songs as well, which I thought was fitting. If you're a die hard fan of the original movie or if you are going to get easily upset that scenes and/or songs were added or removed, this may not be for you to watch. From what I've seen in the last few Disney remakes is that they're trying to relate the classics we grew up with to this generation and what's going on in today's society the best way they can. So far I haven't watched a remake that disappointed that much to make me hate it. The Lion King is now available on blu-ray, 4K UHD and DVD today, October 22 from Disney Studios!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received The Lion King on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received

Spooktober with DK Canada (Book Reviews)



October is one of my favorite times of the year. I absolutely love Halloween and getting in the spooky spirit and now I get to share this with my little guy, this year will be his first Halloween and I'm so excited for him. We were sent a couple books from our friends over at DK Canada to help celebrate Spooktober and Braxton absolutely loves them. We got Baby Touch and Feel Halloween and Haunted House


About Baby Touch and Feel Halloween
A touch-and-feel book for babies that provides a hands-on learning experience for developing fine motor skills as little ones see and touch pumpkins, cats, candy corn, and other Halloween favorites.

Get the little pumpkins ready for Halloween with Baby Touch & Feel: Halloween. Filled with real-life photographs of pumpkins, cats, candy corn, and other Halloween favorites that have textures babies can touch and feel, this is the perfect book to encourage tiny fingers to explore and to help develop fine motor skills while building an early learning foundation with clearly labeled pictures.

With padded covers, simple images, and an amazing range of novelty textures, Baby Touch & Feel books capture the attention of the very youngest children and create an experience they'll want to repeat again and again.


I am so excited about this book! It is so cute and little, which makes it easy for my Braxy to hold. He loves the feeling of every page and is really curious about it. My favourite page is the "green sticky mixture" I have never seen a touch book with the sticky feeling! I am so excited about it and Braxton LOVES it. He constantly plays with it, he loves how little it is, because he can carry it with him without it dragging him along. I'm also happy because its a Halloween book! My husband doesn't "celebrate" Halloween like I do, so when we got this book I was able to get him to read it to our son and get him a little more excited for the spooky season! I'm slowly changing him into a Halloween lover! This book is so cute and enjoyable! A for sure must buy for your little human during the spooky season.


About Haunted House
Are you daring enough to join the brave cat and mouse as they explore the noisy haunted house? If so, open the surprise flaps and hear the funny, light-activated sounds in this spooky sound book that's shaped like a house.

With a delightful rhyming story to read aloud to little ones, a sliding door on the cover, and enticing flaps to lift inside, it's the perfect noisy Halloween gift for the scariest time of the year.

This interactive spooky house board book will appeal to a baby, toddler, or preschooler. When they push open the front door slider on the cover they find a friendly ghost, and hear some fun Halloween music and a ghostly woooh! Inside, they'll discover more entertaining characters under flaps to fill their Halloween with sound: a talking monster, a rattly skeleton, a smiley mommy with a silly scream, and chuckling Mrs Witch. Little ones will soon be joining in with the rhyming story, and they will improve their fine motor skills as they lift the exciting flaps and discover who's hiding behind each one.

With its slider, lift-the-flap sounds, and fun shape, Haunted House provides lots of opportunities for parent-and-child interaction, and hours of Halloween entertainment little kids will love.


This book about a kitty and a mouse walking through a haunted house "not scared" is so perfect ! I'm shocked at the creativity of this cute story and the sound effects made Braxton so excited! He kept flipping the page and was super engaged even once I was finished reading. He went back to some of his favourite pages and just kept flipping to hear the sounds. Such a good idea for the book! It has a switch on the back to turn the book on and off so the battery stays alive. I love this, so does my little dude! Super happy that this book will be in our Halloween collection because it's a Halloween must for your kiddos.

I love that both of these books have some sort of sensory, I think that's so important for my baby to develop and learn.  If you have a little one I really love and suggest these books and am so excited I got the opportunity to review them. For more information about where to purchase both books and about Spooktober with DK Canada, be sure to head over to their website

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above books at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received

Getting Cheesy with Tre Stelle (Recipes & Review)




I'm a pretty cheesy person. And I guess that would be in the goofy way and in the way that I LOVE cheese and so does my family! So when we had the opportunity to partner up with Tre Stelle and try out a few of their different cheeses, I was beyond excited!

Tre Stelle offers high quality cheese you can create delicious meals with at an affordable price so that you're not breaking the bank to feed your family. I was sent a few of their products to try out a couple different recipes for my family and I am certainly a fan. I got to try their mozzarella, feta, ricotta and mascarpone. I had already been a fan of their mozzarella, but now I'm a fan of all the other cheese I got to try.



In the world of cheese, Mozzarella is the ideal supporting character, melting beautifully, complementing other flavours and offering its own mild, milky pleasant taste. Mozzarella melts into a crowd of other recipes, from pizza to omelettes, quesadillas, grilled cheese, lasagna and many more. 

Moist and delicious, mild Ricotta has a delicate milky aroma and a smooth creamy texture. Appreciated for its low milk fat, it is also high in protein making it a healthier alternative to full fat cream cheese. Traditional Ricotta has the classic slightly grainy texture that many enjoy for use in pasta and dips. Extra Smooth Ricotta has a more creamy texture making it perfect for more delicate pastries and desserts or simply spread on bread or a bagel with fruit, jam or honey.

A centuries-old staple of the Mediterranean diet, Feta cheese was brought to Canada by Greek immigrants, and Canadians fell in love. Tre Stelle Feta comes in a wide range of variations: Regular and Light; crumbled, cubed or in wedges; even flavoured versions like Tomato and Basil or Garlic and Herbs. It’s great in salads, on pizza, in dips or as a stuffing for meat dishes.

Tre Stelle Mascarpone is a rich, fresh triple-crème related to cream cheese and Ricotta. It's soft and white, smooth and spreadable, Mascarpone is endlessly adaptable in the kitchen. You can have it throughout the day starting with breakfast with a slice of bread topped with fruit, jam or honey. It adds creaminess and texture to pastas and risottos and is a great base for dips and sauces, and can be used in so many dessert recipes.

I knew I wanted to create something with their mozzarella cheese that was not only kid friendly, but with being a busy, on the go mom, that has a kid who's in sports, I wanted to make sure it was something that I could whip up pretty fast so that I wasn't spending all my time in the kitchen, because come on now, ain't nobody got time for that. So I decided to go with a pizza grilled cheese. It's a recipe I've been making for my kids for years and is definitely something that tastes delicious, but also doesn't take a lot of time to make. You can also mess around with this recipe adding different toppings you would like on it.


PIZZA GRILLED CHEESE

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp. butter
2 slices sourdough or white bread
1 Cup shredded mozzarella divided, or 2 thin slice of mozzarella
8 slices pepperoni
Pizza sauce for dipping

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat pan and assemble sandwich. Spread butter on the outside of two slices of bread. On the inside of one slice, top with half of the shredded mozzarella or one of the two thin sliced mozzarella, add your pepperonis, remaining shredded mozzarella or second slice. Top with remaining slice of bread, buttered side up.

2. In a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook sandwich until crispy, 5 minutes per side. In a small bowl add pizza sauce for dipping and enjoy!



The next recipe I made was one that would be for a sit down dinner with the entire family. With the fall weather being in full swing, I wanted to make sure that we enjoyed some comfort food and what's better than pasta? I found a great recipe on Pinterest from Kitchen Divas and decided to make stuffed shells with a delicious salad and got to use both mozzarella and ricotta cheese for this recipe. With a few changes to the recipe to fit our household, this meal was a huge hit for my entire family and it's being added to our family meals from now on. The ricotta cheese and meat mixture turned out perfect and topping the shells with the mozzarella cheese gave it the finishing touches it needed to make this a great meal that everyone enjoyed. 



STUFFED SHELLS

INGREDIANTS
1 large box pasta shells, jumbo
1 large jars pasta tomato sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tub Tre Stelle ricotta cheese, 475grams
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded to taste
2 large eggs
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
olive oil
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon or so of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Stir regularly to prevent shells from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.
3. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Coat the bottom of the pan with tomato sauce. Set aside.
4. In a medium skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring regularly, until done. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat. 
5. In a separate, large bowl, whip together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Next add the meat mixture, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and Italian seasoning to the ricotta mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.
6. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling into each cooked pasta shell. Place the filled shells in the prepared dish facing up. 
7. Pour more marinara sauce over the filled shells and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Then turn the oven up to broil for a few minutes until cheese is nicely browned
8. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!


If you try out either one of these recipes, please let us know. You can also check out the Recipe section over on Tre Stelle's website to find lots of different recipes you can create for your family to enjoy! 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned products at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Toy Story 4 Blu-ray Review & Giveaway


Packed with old friends and new faces, the fourth film in the beloved Toy Story series, which leads Woody to an unexpected fork in the road, arrives home on Digital in 4K Ultra HD™ and HD Oct. 1, and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray,™ DVD Oct. 8. In “Toy Story 4,” Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. So, when Bonnie’s beloved new craft-project-turned-toy Forky (voice of Tony Hale) calls himself “trash,” Woody decides to teach Forky how to embrace being a toy. But a road-trip adventure, including an unexpected reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts), shows Woody how big the world can be for a toy. In addition, carnival prizes Ducky (voice of Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (voice of Jordan Peele) bring a new level of fun to the film.



MY REVIEW

You've Got A Friend In Me! Toy Story has been a favourite of mine since...well since I was a kid. When we got the opportunity to review Toy Story 4 I had to look up when the original movie came out, 1995! It's crazy to think that Woody and his friends have been in my life, for most of my life and I'm so happy that my kids love the Toy Story movies just as much as I do. 

When we last saw Woody and the gang, they were being passed off to a new child, Bonnie, while Andy went on to the next chapter in his life, college. Well, when we open up to Toy Story 4 we're taken back a few years to show that Woody had a love interest, Bo Peep. As it turns out, Bo and her sheep are given to a new family and they don't see each other again for years.

As we're brought back to the present we're in the home of Bonnie and the gang is still all together. The new mission to Woody is to make sure that Bonnie is okay as she is about to start school. While at the school's orientation, Bonnie creates a new toy for herself out of some previously trashed craft supplies and names him Forky. Woody is on a mission to make sure that Forky is there for Bonnie when she needs him because he keeps trying to run back to the trash.

While on a road-trip Bonnie and her family are taking before the school year starts, Woody is trying his hardest to make sure that Forky is the best toy for Bonnie and as Forky is still a bit new to this responsibilities as one of Bonnie's toys, he ends up sneaking out of the family's RV and Woody goes after him. As they make their way back to the next rest stop, Woody notices an old Antique shop where he sees the lamp that was part of Bo Peep and he goes in to look for her.

As they're reunited, Woody learns that Bo Peep is a toy without a child, but is loving her life as a free toy. Throughout the mission to get back to Bonnie before they leave the rest stop, you can tell Woody will be facing a hard decision, live the life of a toy that barely gets played with or become a toy without a child.

I honestly was nervous to watch Toy Story 4 because I didn't know how it would end, but I have to say I absolutely loved it. I laughed and I teared up a few times because honestly all of the movies have been about Woody being a selfless toy. He always puts his child's needs first and makes sure that they're happy. It ended perfect and I'm so excited to partner up with Disney Canada to offer one of our Canadian readers a chance to win a copy of Toy Story 4! All you need to do is leave a comment below sharing who your favourite character from Toy Story is!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Toy Story 4 on bluray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Gardein's Golden Fishless Filets Review



I’ve been a vegetarian for about 18 years now. With that, it’s important to note, I have never incorporated meatless meat products into my daily meal planning. Occasionally, I’ll buy something to try, or just a veggie burger so I can fit in at BBQ’s and other functions. But, I’m never overly impressed. I just haven't found much interest in products that try to taste like meat, but completely, and consistently miss the mark. I’d rather have real foods, like actual vegetables that can just be themselves and I love them for what they are.

I got the chance to try Gardein meat-free products. Their meatless products are completely vegan made from Non-GMO soy and wheat, ancient grains and veggies with a good source of Iron and B12. Gluten free products are also available. I chose the vegan Fishless Fish Filets. I’m totally game to try anything at least once. Honestly, the fishless fish intrigued me so much! I’ve never had vegan fish, and I was excited to see how they were going to do it. It seems like a hard thing to copy. And truth be told, I half-expected it to be a flop.



The filets come in a large nugget size and had a decent texture. They weren’t as flaky as actual fish, but still pleasant. They were a bit reminiscent of those fish sticks we all ate as kids. Be honest, this is a safe place, you loved them. I know you’re all fancy adults now, eating grilled salmon and such, but you’d scarf those suckers down if your kid left some on their plate. I know I would, and I don’t even have kids. Which would make that a really awkward moment, stealing fish sticks from a random kid, lol.

Back on topic now. Unlike fish sticks, they aren’t as fishy. There is a subtle, almost fresh fish taste, that are excellent in taco form, which is how I ate them. Love! They would also be awesome on there own, which isn’t something that I can say for other products that I need to cover-up with as many condiments as I have access to.

Overall, I am really impressed with Gardein’s Vegan Fishless Fish Filets, and look forward to trying some of their other options in the near future. I recommend giving Gardein a try if you like giving meatless products a go here-and-there.

For more information about Gardein's meatless products, be sure to check out their website.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned product at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

The Addams Family & Addams Family Values Blu-ray Review & Giveaway



THE ADDAMS FAMILY Synopsis:
When long-lost Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) reappears after 25 years in the Bermuda Triangle, Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) plan a celebration to wake the dead. But Wednesday (Christina Ricci) barely has time to warm up her electric chair before Thing points out Fester's uncommonly "normal" behavior. Could this Fester be a fake, part of an evil scheme to raid the Addams fortune?

ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES Synopsis:
It's love at first fright when Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) welcome a new addition to the Addams household -- Pubert, their soft, cuddly, mustachioed baby boy. As Fester (Christopher Lloyd) falls hard for voluptuous nanny Debbie Jilinksy (Joan Cusack), Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) discover she's a black-widow murderess who plans to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands. ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES is debuting on Blu-ray for the first time.



MY REVIEW

"They're creepy and they're kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They're altogether ooky,
The Addams Family."



That song gets stuck in my head a lot around this time of year. We are huge Halloween fans in my house. I think I've mentioned it a few times on the blog over the years. So when we were given the opportunity to review the combo blu-ray of the classic movies, The Addams Family and The Addams Family Value, I was super excited! We try to watch both of these movies once a year during the month of October to get in the spooky mood. 

Not only were we excited to receive the bundle blu-ray of both movies, but we were also sent a few extra goodies to dress up like some of our favourite Addams! 



If you have yet to watch the movie The Addams Family, you're missing out. This creepy and kooky family may look weird, but they love each other and show it in their own way. When Fester comes back after being missing for 25 years him and Gomez are reunited after a fight they had. Through ups and downs and through Fester's weird behaviour, is he the real Fester or an imposter trying to get the Addams fortune? I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but let's change that if you haven't, okay? 

At the end of the movie we see Morticia holding up a knitted baby sleeper, so when we are back in The Addams Family Value we are introduced to the latest family member as well as Fester's new love interest that may not be in love with her new man for the right reasons. 

The Addams Family is like no other and is a must see during the spooky season. I'm excited to partner up with Paramount Picture to offer you all a chance to win your very own copy of both movies in a 2 movie collection on blu-ray. Just comment below and share with us who your favourite Addams family member is. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received The Addams Family & The Addams Family Value on bluray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Book Review & Blog Tour



Title: Ninth House
By: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Pages: 480

Galaxy Alex" Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale's freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she's thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world's most prestigious universities on a full ride. What's the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale's secret societies. Their eight windowless "tombs" are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street's biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living.


MY REVIEW

I’m a huge fan of casual reads, especially when it comes to fantasy and entering the creative mind of a writer that can bring you into a completely different reality, be it in the world we’re all familiar with, a fictional world, or an afterlife scenario. Leigh Bardugo brings Yale in New Haven, Connecticut to the forefront of my mind with new intrigue. With secret societies, ghosts, magic and underlying issues of the real world, “Ninth House” has been my favorite read to start off the Autumn season in a long time.

“Ninth House” explores tragic, and at times, overwhelming, real life scenarios involving the divide between classes and how we treat/see one another based off of money, status, physical appearance and education. These themes, for me, have been offset by the imaginative, exciting and curious world of murder and dark magic, with a healthy does of witty humor and human connection. It is important to note that there may be some themes that cannot be overshadowed for some readers, like drugs, abuse of children, including rape. The trauma described in this book is not easy going, in any sense, and may not be for those with triggers. However, this can also be a story of a survivor’s willingness to overcome unspeakable wrongs and take back their power.

As we follow a woman, Galaxy “Alex” Stern, from Los Angeles with a troubled past, struggle to hold on to this new life she has been given in New Haven as a second chance, you can’t help but feel connected to her through all the mystery and twists. The descriptive narrative is so immersive, you might as well be inside the book. I feel the characters are well thought out and developed to the point that I didn’t want the book to end, but I couldn’t stop reading.


I am really excited to be apart of the Ninth House Blog Tour hosted by our friends over at Raincoast! We are one of two last stops and I encourage you to check out Christine from Padfoot's Library to read her review as well. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Ninth House at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Princess Emmy DVD Review & Giveaway



Princess Emmy is a young girl with a secret gift – she is the only one in the Kingdom of Kandis who can speak to horses. Up until now, life for Emmy has been wonderful: exploring and hanging out with her best friends – a stable full of horses; spending time with her family at the castle and not having a care in the world. That is, until her jealous, scheming cousin Gizana appears, challenging her at every turn, threatening Emmy’s chances of becoming an officially inaugurated princess and generally making her life hell. And on top of all that, Emmy must undergo the ultimate test to earn the right to keep her gift. If she fails, she loses the gift and her best friends forever. There is a huge amount at stake for such a little girl.



MY REVIEW
My little one and I got a chance to watch the movie Princess Emmy and she absolutely loved it. Princess Emmy was cool and had her own style, which is something I continue to tell my kids, be yourselves, there's no one else in the world like you.

We loved that Princess Emmy is able to talk and communicate with her horses, it reminded us of Princess Sofia from the show, Sofia the First. Being able to communicate with the horses and having fun with her family, Emmy is having the time of her life. She is the only one in her kingdom that can talk to the horses, thanks to a magical book, but in order to keep her ability to speak with the horses, she has to prove herself worthy.

All is going well as she prepares for the ball and to become inaugurated until her jealous cousin, Gizana, comes to town and becomes a threat to Emmy and her chance at becoming a real princess. Gizana is challenging Emmy with every move she makes and making everything harder for Emmy to pass her test to become a real princess.

With lots of lessons on being a princess and with her cousin trying to mess everything up at every chance she gets, will Emmy become a real princess? I hope you get the chance to find out. We're partnering up with Shout Factory and offering 2 of our US and Canada reader's a chance at winning a copy of Princess Emmy on DVD! To enter the giveaway, comment below what special powers you would like to have. Would you want to talk to animals, be invisible? Let us know in the comments below.

Princess Emmy is available for purchase on October 15, 2019. For more information, be sure to head over to Shout Factory.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Princess Emmy on DVD at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

NASCAR Heat 4 on PS4 Review

My husband and oldest son got the chance to review a free copy of the new NASCAR Heat 4 on PlayStation 4 from 704Games. My son isn’t normally into NASCAR the same way my husband is. My husband's parents are big fans of NASCAR so he's grown up watching it with his parents. Although my son isn't really into NASCAR, both him and my husband appreciate and respect the work the crews and drivers do on and off the track, and were a little surprised when they played NASCAR Heat 4 how much fun they had.




If you haven’t played a NASCAR Heat game before, this FOURTH game is a great place to start. It offers the full range of drivers from the main Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, plus the support classes of the NASCAR XFINITY. My husband was quite surprised when Tony Stewart, the former NASCAR Cup champion and owner of dirt track Eldora Raceway, shows up in the game’s fictional Xtreme Dirt Tour series.



There are 38 tracks in total, including the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. All tracks from all 3 NASCAR National Series are available to play in NASCAR Heat 4. Also, Martinsville Night is available in offline modes if you pre-ordered the gold edition of NASCAR Heat 4. There are 38 tracks in total including the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. All tracks from all 3 NASCAR National Series are available to play in NASCAR Heat 4. Also, Martinsville Night is available in offline modes if you pre-order the gold edition of  NASCAR Heat 4.

NASCAR Heat 4 is the latest and most robust in the series, with:

- More customization options
- A deeper career mode
- All new graphics and audio packages
- Improved physics and handling
- 38 tracks and over 150 teams and drivers
- Integrated eNASCAR Heat Pro League esports and online play


One thing the guys didn’t enjoy was when they were in career mode the last two cars always caught up to them with about two laps to go and then slow way down just in front of them and they had no way of catching them. That part of the game didn't seem realistic, it felt like more work than fun. Career mode in the shop feels like a mobile game. Picking your engineer and suspension mechanics is cool but it’s just a stock photo of random people no real presentation of shop atmosphere just photos not even images of cars. NASCAR Heat 4 I think has a ways to go to get the quality of the EA games in the past.



Overall, it's a good game with a great campaign mode and nice feels from handling the cars. The option to customize your experience is awesome and graphics were pretty cool too. It will take a much longer time to get to know all the new tricks and tracks that NASCAR Heat 4 offers. There is so much to see how much you are able to grow, as a driver, within these new parameters. I feel like the structure is still there, however, for a game, that will challenge a player’s strengths and minimize the effects of their weaknesses.

Bottom line it is really fun to play and the best I've seen in a racing game. NASCAR Heat 4 is available on Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, and PC. For more information about NASCAR Heat 4, head to www.nascarheat.com.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received NASCAR Heat 4 on PS4 at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.